Veterans Affairs committee  Good morning. Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  It hasn't been part of the mandate of the committee, so we have not done program cost analyses. I think the general comment would be that services provided outside a formal care setting are less expensive in public dollars than services provided in a community or a home setting.

Veterans Affairs committee  Right.

Veterans Affairs committee  The principle in the report is that of need. So, for example, if you're an older veteran, regardless of your income, and you're socially isolated, then you may be identified or express a need for being better connected. So there could be an intervention on the part of the department to help you get connected to others, to have friendly visitors, or to get engaged in whatever things would help reduce your social isolation.

Veterans Affairs committee  Okay.

Veterans Affairs committee  Okay. I can't speak to the question of income caps in Scandinavia. Unfortunately, I don't have those sorts of data available. It's a good question, but I can't help you in that respect. On which province it's best to be an older veteran, the nice thing about the Veterans Affairs mandate and programs is that they fill gaps.

Veterans Affairs committee  You're most welcome.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you. Certainly the areas you touch on are ones that are very important. As we have over the last decade or two in Canada focused much more on the family members and friends who are providing care to frail seniors, we've begun to think about what kinds of things would support them in the work they are doing.

Veterans Affairs committee  There are huge differences around the world in programs that are available, for example, to support caregivers. Some of the models we see in Scandinavia, for example, spend more effort on things like providing financial compensation to caregivers, including things like pensions for caregivers.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm not an expert on the on-the-ground services that the department provides, but certainly they do provide services to their veterans across the country, and I think they, too, see the challenges in providing these services to rural communities, particularly those at a great distance from service centres, acute care hospitals, etc.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes. And I think one of the things in this report that I would underline is that one of the things the front-line worker working with the veteran would be doing is navigating through all of these services. It is a huge challenge for anybody to find out what those services are. It is certainly an immense challenge if you're a caregiver to somebody who's frail and you're trying to wend your way.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  I am.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's been about ten years.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.